Method of forming turnbuckles



Oct. 30, 1928, v 1,689,218 L. L. WHITNEY METHOD OF FORMING TURNBUQKLES Filed July 24, 1924 all! 0 I z? "l null miil um v Z5, Z3 Z5 Patented Get. 30, 1928.

tin-ire stares LORENZ. HITNEY, or HAMMOND, INDIANA, assrenoa :r-o AMERICAN smear. governm nt 'enloaoo, innitots, A CORP'ORATIQN 'onnsw' JERSEY.

METHOD or FORMING r'rnnn'noo'nnns.

App1ication filed- July 24-,

This-invention relates to a new and improved method of making turnbuckles and more partici'ilarly to a method of forming such turnbuckles from a tubular blank by means of forging operations. I

The turnbuckle shown is particularly adapted for use with brake cylinder lever adjusted.

rods but it is to be understood that the process is adapted for the production of turnbuckles for any purpose. The turnbuckle includes a tubular member with anouter hexagonal portion whereby it may be turned and The ends of the turnbuckle are thickened inwardly and threaded to afford the connection to the two portions of the member the total length of which is to be adjusted. It is not desirable to havethe turnbuckle thickened and threa'ded throughout its length.

It is an object of the present invention to provide a new and improved method of forming turnbuckles whereby they may be formed by a series of forging operations.

It is a further object to provide method of this character adapted for commercial quan tity production.

'Other and further objects will appear as the description proceeds. I

I have illustrated in the accompanying drawings various steps in the operation together with the dies and plungers suitable for carrying out the operation.

In the drawings Figure 1 shows the form of blank used;

'Figure 2 is an end View of Figure 1;

Figure 3 shows the blank after the first pass;

Figure 4 is an end View of FigureS;

Figure 5 is a View after the second pass;

Figure 6 is an end View of Figure 5;

Figure 7 is a view of the completed turn bnckle after the third pass;

Figure 8 is an end view of Figure 7 Figures 9 and 10 show the dies used in the forging operation;

Figure 11 shows the first pass plunger;

Figure 12 is the second pass plunger;

Figure 13 is the second pass insert; and

Figure 14 is a View of the turnbuckle as assembled for application to the brake cylinder lever rod.

In the formation of the turnbuckle by the presentprocess, a blank as shown in Figure 1 is first heated upon its middle portion.

1924. Serial No. 727,914.

The heating is localized to theini'ddle portion which is the only part which it is desired to' be formed under the first pass. The heated blank is then placed'in the lower recess 22 of the die member 23 and the die inem'ber 24 is moved until its faces contact tion 28 ofthe recess 22 and corresponding portion 29 of the recess 25 before the-shoulder of the plunger 26' engages the end of the blank. The portion 27 of the plunger prevents inward deformation of the bl'ank and theheated portion of the blank which is located opposite the hexagonal'portions'28 and 29 of therecesses is forced outwardly into these portions when the shoulder 30 of the plunger engages the blank. The blank is now in the form shown in Figure 3 with the heXagonal gripping portion 31 formed thereon. g

It is allowed to cool and then one end of the blank is highly heated by local application ofheat. The insert 32 shown 'in Figure 13 is now substituted in the die 23 for the insert 33 shown therein. The corresponding insert is substituted tor the insert 34: of die 24. As clearly shown in Figure 13 the insert 32 is I provided with a recess 35 which corresponds to the semi-circular portion "of the die -recess provided with a recess corresponding to the semi-circular portion ofthe die recess 37.

After having one end heated the blank is now placed in the upper-recess in die 23 with the'heate'dend towards the left or open end of the recess. The hexagonal portion 31 is fitted into the hexagonal portion of the recess and the unheated end of the blankfits into recess 35 in the insert 32. The die 24 is now brought against the die 23 and the blank is completely enclosed. The plunger 38 shown in Figure 12 is now brought axially against the heated end of the blank. The reduced portion 39 of the plunger enters the opening in the blank and the shoulder 40 bears against the end of the blank. It will be noted that the portion 39 of the plunger 38 is of a smaller diameter than the reduced portion 27 of the plunger 26 used in the first pass. Referring to Figure 5, the plunger portion 39 equals in diameter the reduced bore 41 of the turnbuckle. When thrust against heated end of the blank, the shoulder 40 upsets the metal and forces it inwardly against the plunger 39 forming the blank, as shown; 1n Figures 5 and 6, with the reduced securlng portion 41 formed.

The blank is now allowed to cool and its opposite end is locally heated. It is then placed in the upper recess 36 of die 23 with the insert 33 in position, as shown in Figure 9. The completed cold end of the turnbuckle now abuts against the insert 33. The die 24 1s brought against die 23 and plunger 38 is again thrust inwardly. This forms the heated end of the blank in a manner similar to that 1n which it has previously formed the other end and the turnbuckle now assumes the completed form shown in Figures 3 and 8. The reduced bore portions 41 and 42 are next threaded by a suitable machine and the turnbuckle is ready for use.

It will be understood by those skilled in the art that it is necessary to handle the blanks and partly completed turnbuckles by means of mandrels or holders. .VVhen the blanks are laced in the dies, the mandrels extend out rom the dies through the recesses 48. It

will be obvious that, if desired, a three pass.

die may be used instead of the two pass die shown and in this case the necessity for the inserts 32, 33 and 34 will be avoided.

In Figure 14 the completed turnbuckle 43 is shown as applied to a brake cylinder lever rod connecting the two end portions 44 and 45 which threaded shanks enter the ends of the turnbuckle. The nuts 46 and 47 are brought up against the ends of the turnbuckle to lock in place and they cover the threaded portions of the shank. The turnbuckle is obviously capable of use in other applications.

I claim:

1. The method of forming turnbuckles or the like from a tubular blank which comprises heating the central portion of the blank, en-

. closing the central portion of the blank in dies limiting its outward expansion, applying means to the inside of the blank whereby its inward deformation is prevented and applying force longitudinally of the blank whereby the middle portion is forced outwardly against the dies.

2. The method of forming turnbuckles or the like from a tubular blank which comprises heating the central portion of the blank, fitting the blank into dies enclosing it on all sides and one end, the dies being adapted to permit outward deformation of the central portion, applying means to the inside of the blank whereby inward deformation is prevented, applying force to the unenclosed end of the blank whereby the central portion is forced outwardly against the die, applying heat to one end of the blank, placing it in enclosingdies, applying force to the heated end whereby it is deformed inwardly and treating the other end in a similar manner.

3. The method of forming turnbuckles or the like from a tubular blank which comprises heating the central portion of the blank, fitting the blank into dies enclosing it on all sides and one end, the dies being adapted to permit outward deformation of the central portion, applying means to the inside of the blank whereby inward deformation is prevented, applying force to the unenclosed end of the blank whereby the central portion is forced outwardly against the die, applying heat to one end of the blank, placing it in enclosing fixed dies, placing means within the heated end permitting a limited inward deformation, applying force to the heated end whereby it is deformed inwardly and treating the other end in a similar manner.

4. Those steps in the method of producing turnbuckles or the like which include locally heating a blank, upsetting said blank at the heated portion thereof to form a gripping portion, locally heating other portions of said blank and upsetting said portions in another direction from said first named upset portion to formthread receiving portions.

5. Those steps in the method of producing turnbuckles or the like which include locally upsetting said blank to form a gripping portion, locally upsetting other portions of said blank in another direction from said first named upset portion to form thread receiving portions.

Signed at Hammond, Indiana, this 18th 

